Research

Researchers from EPFL have resolved a long-standing debate surrounding laser additive manufacturing processes with a pioneering approach to defect detection.

Climate neutrality and nuclear phase-out: Switzerland's ambitious green electricity targets are realistic if the electricity supply is profoundly and rapidly transformed, as a study by the SWEET EDGE consortium shows. The researchers developed three strategies for expanding renewable energies.

On the road to recovery, patients come into contact with clinicians from a whole range of disciplines. The importance of targeted collaboration between these disciplines is something medical students learn early on at ETH Zurich.

Future-oriented research requires facilities that are continually brought up to date. That’s why PSI is currently planning a significant upgrade to its proton accelerator with the project IMPACT. Physicist Daniela Kiselev is head of Accelerator Operation and Development at PSI. In addition, she is leading the project management team for IMPACT. In this interview, she talks about the smallest particles and the big plans for the renovation.

Nearly a quarter of the Earth’s land surface is permanently frozen. These areas, known as permafrost, are found in northern polar regions and at high altitudes. But the permafrost is now starting to thaw – with potentially disastrous consequences for the climate. Here, we look at what scientists currently know about this potential threat.

EPFL’s Habitat Research Center has created the first atlas of Paris landscapes, after winning a request for proposals by the French government and the City of Paris. The atlas is the result of a highly innovative approach to urban research, as it includes not just maps but also testimonials from local residents.

In a study comparing human brain communication networks with those of macaques and mice, EPFL researchers found that only the human brains transmitted information via multiple parallel pathways, yielding new insights into mammalian evolution.

EPFL researchers have developed a hybrid device that significantly improves existing, ubiquitous laser technology.

A team of astronomers has used asteroseismology, or the study of stellar oscillations, to accurately measure the distance of stars from the Earth. Their research examined thousands of stars and checked the measurements taken during the Gaia mission to study the near Universe.

Blood cells reveal tumours in the body. Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute achieve an advance with the development of a test for early diagnosis of cancer.

EPFL scientists show that breathing may be used to control a wearable extra robotic arm in healthy individuals, without hindering control of other parts of the body.

Field studies by Eawag researcher David Janssen in southern Greenland show that the heavy metals in the rivers are largely of natural origin, and that the influence of mining and agriculture is negligible, at least during the period observed.

EPFL researchers develop an AI-driven, label-free method for studying protein aggregates, offering new perspectives in neurodegenerative disease research.

Researchers have trained an artificial intelligence to design the structure of so-called metamaterials with desired mechanical properties for a wide range of applications.

Numerous microorganisms, including Legionella, live in biofilms in shower hoses. A team from the aquatic research institute Eawag has now investigated and characterised such microbial communities and analysed their interaction with this pathogen. The results may contribute to a better understanding of the ecology of Legionella and support the possible development of a probiotic approach for the control of Legionella.